Spectacular Things Happen Along the Way

Book excerpt: This celebrated narrative shows how a teacher, alongside his 5th-grade students, co-created a curriculum based on the students’ needs, interests, and questions. Follow Brian Schultz and his students from a Chicago housing project as they work together to develop an emergent and authentic curriculum based on what is most important to the 5th-graders—replacing their dilapidated school. The persuasive storytelling that captured the attention of educators and the media depicts the journey of one teacher in an urban school and his students juxtaposed against the powerful and entrenched bureaucracy of Chicago’s public education system. In this second edition, Schultz examines how school reform continues to fail students in urban contexts, reflects on his teaching and writing from a decade ago, and offers compelling updates on students and what became of the school. A lot can be learned from the young people of Room 405, then and now. Not only did these particular 5th-graders push back against the city and school board in their pursuit for a better learning environment for themselves and their community, but they also learned about the power of using their voices in purposeful ways. “We can only hope that educators will read the new edition and be inspired to make similar choices themselves.” —From the Foreword by Pedro Noguera, UCLA “In this eagerly awaited second edition, Schultz has reiterated what it means to be a courageous and caring teacher.” —From the Afterword by Sonia Nieto, professor emerita, University of Massachusetts, Amherst “A compelling read that continues to remind us how much a better world depends on our ability to foster learning and teaching experiences that nurture young people’s capacity to think deeply.” —Denise Taliaferro Baszile, VP, AERA Division B “This second edition highlights the ongoing dismantling of urban public schools in the name of ‘reform,’ even while fueling our sense of possibility and hope.” —Kevin Kumashiro, author, Bad Teacher!